hello ppl i just started a salt water fish tank its a 3 gallon one and i no its pretty small but i like a challenge its a picotope 3gallon. its a week old and still can get the rite amount salt it changes from being gud to not having enough is this mabe have to do wit my temp. becuz i dont have a heater yet and just today my live rock is getting this rust brown color to it and idk wat it is it might kill my puffer or any other things i will later have in there and about the puffer yes i no it will grow out my tank but i jut plan to keep him while his little so can sum one help me wit this problem THANX

Pasfur

01-23-2010 07:50 AM

First, lets talk salt. Saltwater should be mixed in a bucket prior to being added to the tank. You need to test the salt with a hydrometer, to confirm you have reached the level you are seeking. If you are setting up a true marine aquarium, then you want 1.024 to 1.025, which is natural seawater.

Once added to the aquarium, the specific gravity (1.024-1.025) will not drop. Salt does not evaporate, meaning it does not leave the tank. Salt levels can RISE as evaporation occurs, but will return to normal levels when you replace evaporated water with freshwater. {Note: specific gravity levels can drop over long periods of time due to salt creep.}

I think you are getting an inaccurate reading from your hydrometer. Are you using a floating type hydrometer or hydrometer with a floating arm?

On the next subject, I am not sure if this is really a marine tank. There is not a single species of marine pufferfish that would be kept (even short term) in a 3 gallon tank. What species of Pufferfish did you buy?

Geovanni31990

01-23-2010 02:51 PM

well i have a meter that has a arm and i want to have a tank wit carols and stuff like that rite now my meter reads 1.017 and the water a have i buy it at my local pet store which they have made and then sell it i buy 5G and then save wat ever is left so wen i change the water water again. the kind of puffer i have is a green spotted puffer,also my live rock is turning a rust,brown color??:shock:

Pasfur

01-23-2010 03:59 PM

I would suggest cleaning out your hydrometer in vinegar, which will break down any calcium deposits that can cause the arm to stick.

The Green Spotted Puffer is a brachish water fish, so having a specific gravity in the 1.017 range is not a problem.

Geovanni31990

01-24-2010 11:21 PM

Fish died

well so much foe the puffer fish it died on mr today :-? cuz the water was to cold i guess so not a got me a autom. heater and sum alge in my filter

Pasfur

01-25-2010 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geovanni31990
(Post 312363)

well so much foe the puffer fish it died on mr today :-? cuz the water was to cold i guess so not a got me a autom. heater and sum alge in my filter

I disagree. The pufferfish died because you did not properly mature the system.

I can't understand the remainder of the question. It would be helpful if you would please form your posts in conversational manor, so that we can actually understand what you saying.

mrdemin

01-25-2010 09:45 AM

Sounds like he/she bought another fish, heater, and put algea in the filter. That fish will die too, if not then good for you. People don't fly airplanes if they dont know how to do so.
I'm not sure what algea in filter means either.

Pasfur

01-25-2010 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdemin
(Post 312515)

People don't fly airplanes if they dont know how to do so.

What? I thought all you had to do was put gas in the engine and hit the thrust. There is more to it?

Geovanni31990

01-25-2010 02:47 PM

well its my first salt water fish tank but its 3G and people tell me the smaller the harder it is but i dont want a big o tank. i think rite now i have everything that i need to start a salt water tank um i have an autom. heater and have the water rite now about 76-78F which is good at less i think and my rock is turning this rust brown color but i dont no if thats a sign saying if my tank is ready or not? the water i have i buy it from my local pet store they already have it set at 1.021, 1.022 BUT once i put it in my tank it goes to 1.017, 1.018 idk if it my meter or something else:-? i also got this green Spaghetti Algae in my filter that would help my tank, and the puffer fish, i still think it died bcuz i didnt have a heater in there and the water was kinda cold like about 60F. also do yall thank this size tank will need a power head ?? i also should be getting this power filter which is a power filter/oxy skimmer it looked like a pretty good filter

Pasfur

01-25-2010 04:12 PM

Geo,

You are throwing your money away. You have virtually no chance of making this tank a success. Look at it this way...

Lets say you decided to become a mountain climber. There are certain skills to acquire. Would you make your first effort at climbing a mountain to be taking on the most difficult possible terrain, with inadequate equipment, and virtually no knowledge at all about climbing mountains?